A Peep At The Senators` Show

March 2, 1986

ANY VISITOR to Washington can see and hear the U.S. Senate in action. Unfortunately, that privilege has not been extended to the rest of the nation, because the Senate has steadfastly refused to allow radio and television to cover its sessions.

Until now.

Last week, after years of refusing to budge, senators reluctantly agreed to a short trial period during which radio and TV will be allowed. Their lack of enthusiasm for the idea can be judged by the short length of the experiment -- only 45 days from June 1 to July 15, including 12 days during which Congress will be in recess.

While far from an adequate trial period, this tiny step will at least allow TV to poke its nose in the Senate door and provide a sample of what goes on inside. The Senate will vote July 29 on whether to make the change permanent.

The Senate`s previous unreasonable ban denied electronic journalists the right to use the tools of their trade. It also denied most Americans the right to see and hear one of their tax-supported institutions and 100 of their tax- paid leaders.

The presence of TV cameras makes many senators jittery. Wonder why? You don`t suppose that they have something to hide -- that they want to keep the voters and taxpayers in the dark about their often inefficient, chaotic and time-wasting actions?

You don`t suppose that they couldn`t stand the heat if people saw for themselves how often one senator is speaking to a near-empty chamber and how much time is wasted in useless quorum calls and filibusters.

All the objections to putting Congress on television were heard and rejected in 1979, when House members voted to allow television coverage of their sessions. Has that turned some House members into ham actors?

Of course it has.

But the presence of TV also has accomplished one important positive result. It has shed additional sunshine or openness onto a key governmental institution, allowing Americans a better opportunity to judge the performance of their lawmakers in action. Excerpts of key debates have become a staple on the nightly news shows, and one cable network, C-SPAN, has attracted millions of viewers with gavel-to-gavel coverage.

The presence of TV cameras is already inspiring talk of key reforms to streamline Senate operations along the lines of similar House rules, such as restraints on debate to make it easier to curb filibusters and a ban on ``non- germane`` amendments to bills on the floor.

Floridians have gained enormous insight into the operations of their state government, and the performance of their elected leaders, through the PBS-TV program, Today in the Legislature.

TV and radio can be the eyes and ears for millions of Americans who can`t visit the Senate in person. They might also help inspire senators to get their act together.